Who are the National Park Travelers?

Raised in South Florida, Jim W. Harper is a citizen of the world, having lived abroad in Sweden, England, Switzerland, and Kuwait and having traveled on six continents, including a five-month independent trek across East Asia.

An environmental communications consultant and journalist with more than 20 years of experience, he is pursuing a masters of science in environmental studies. He was awarded a scholarship by the Florida Outdoor Writers Association. He’s a regular contributor to Swimmer magazine and a double columnist for Miami's Biscayne Times, including “Park Patrol,” a rating system for local parks. He may be the world's only professional local park critic.

In 2011 he studied the Deepwater Horizon (BP) Oil Spill in Louisiana at the Metcalf Institute for Marine & Environmental Reporting, and he also completed Cooper Fellow Training for climate communicators at the University of Miami. In 2006 he was selected for the Scripps-Howard Seminar for Environmental Journalism, and in 2002 he traveled across Paraguay as part of a Traveling Fulbright Program for educators. A member of the Society of Environmental Journalists, he holds a masters degree in mass communication.

Areas of Interest: Coastal and urban environment; sustainability; marine conservation; coral reefs; environmental attitudes; public outreach; journalism; international relations; essay writing; experiential education; sustainable seafood; cross-cultural relations; English as a Second Language; human health; competitive swimming.

Love and support our National Parks.

Avid Hiker from North Carolina. Currently planning a Thru Hike on the Appalachian Trail in 2014.

Don Fox worked with the National Park Service for nearly 40 years completing master plans, facility designs, and interpretive plans for 13 national parks. He was park landscape architect at Yosemite from 1974 to 2006, a member of the 1980 General Management Plan team, and served as Accessibility Coordinator, and Pacific Western Region Accessibility Program Manager.

He graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Landscape Architecture, completed advanced studies in Urban and Regional Planning at University of Colorado, is an American Society of Landscape Architects Fellow and lives in Mariposa, CA.

Don currently works with public agencies, resort and tourism managers, private businesses, and organizations to conduct comprehensive inspections of facilities, prioritize program delivery strategies, and design solutions that comply with accessibility laws, universal design principles, and best practices to accommodate the needs of visitors with hearing, visual, mobility, and cognitive disabilities.

I am a nationally recognized artist specializing in conceptual renderings and landscape paintings. In 1993 Amtrak featured my painting of the new Olympia, Washington, station on its corporate calendar, an achievement that led to my rail art being recognized nationally.

I continue to produce commissioned works for Amtrak, including the commemorative centennial paintings of Washington D.C. Union Station (2008) and Glacier National Park (2010). My most recent work is a collection of vignettes celebrating Amtrak’s 40th anniversary in 2011.

My work has been published in various papers and journals, such as the Arizona Republic, Denver Post, and USA Today, National Parks Magazine, Audubon and books such as Alfred Runte’s Allies of the Earth: Railroads and the Soul of Preservation and Trains of Discovery: Railroads and the Legacy of Our National Parks.

Have traveled to all the 57 major national parks and many of the other national parks throughout the national park system.

Do I have a favorite/No because each and every park has it's own unique natural wonder about it.

Have I had some special memories about certain parks/Yes

I run http://www.campoutcolorado.com/. Camp Out Colorado is full of great tips and tricks for camping that every camper needs to know. The camping enthusiasts who write for Camp Out Colorado are based in Colorado so we also have a special focus on in-depth, personal, and detailed reviews of campgrounds and camping conditions in Colorado.

I love the National Parks, State Parks and just about any other places out in nature where I can enjoy everything the outdoors has to offer.

I heart National Parks.

I can remember far back to my first visit to a National Park. That was Yosemite when I was in College and believe me I have never been the same. I have been blessed over the years to have visit over 20 different parks, and as well I have worked in five. It is hard to describe the impact parks have had on my life, yet for sure it is huge. They have changed me forever and the gratitude I have is filled with love and respect. I have worked in Denali, Zion, Glacier in Montana , Mt.Rainier and Kenai Fjords. Every park is so unique and offers visitors an inside view of nature and wild places that will surely touch your heart as they have mine.

As a Travel writer, Artist and budding hopefully Pro-photographer I could spend hours going on about my experiences. What has touched me the most is the fragile, the up close and personal and the vastness of our parks, they are so special in my heart. One thing for sure is each experience has given me inspiration to want more, crave more. One of my favorites is Katmai in Alaska, I can remember descending on the plane and seeing dozens of Brown bears fishing in the river below, it took my breath away, Wow is all I can say. Anyway, that is me, Whale Geek, Nature dork, anything park and I just keep wanting more.

As an environmental photojournalist, I explore nature and wildlife destinations around the world, but consider working at the Grand Canyon as one of the most rewarding times of my life.

I've published articles and photography with National Wildlife, Sierra Club, and Wildlife Conservation publications and written an iTunes/Android app guide to the Grand Canyon and Flagstaff.

12/13/2012: I and my wife Barb, currently live in Indpls, In. Both of us have lived here all our lives. We've been married over 20 years, and have several grandchildren. I'm a retired member of the U.S. Army. I reitred in Jan. 1999. I now work for the state of Indiana, in the Department of Enviormental Managment. I have work for Indiana 12 years and intend to retire in about 3 years. We enjoy traveling and seeing the sites, fishing, eating out. grand kids since they range for age 27 to 7 months at this time. So hello to all, who enjoy our National Parks, they are a wonderful place to love.

Cathy Bell is a naturalist and writer who has worked at Yellowstone and Badlands National Parks. She recently completed her master's degree in the Field Naturalist program at the University of Vermont. Follow her blog, Homelandscapes.

Following a career as a police officer, I turned to photographing and writing about nature. My entry into photography and journalism came accidentally, after many years of injury and surgeries, one of which became infected and entered my brain.

Once home from the hospital, I discovered that I no longer knew how to boil water, despite having been a chef in different restaurants. The tradeoff was discovered when I began to move forward and commit myself to writing. Two publishers, in different states, loved the photos I took to accompany my stories and they encouraged me to more fully pursue photography. I was no longer a terrific cook, but suddenly I could take photos!

My love for national parks began with a trip to Mount Rainier National Park during the reopening of the Paradise Lodge in 2008 and grew until I no longer could stay home in the city. After a month-long camping trip to Glacier, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton national parks, I sold everything and moved into a 1970s model, 17-foot-travel trailer (since upgraded to 21' and newer) and left on a journey to see the parks.

During the past 27 months I've visited several parks and have volunteered at Yosemite and North Cascades national parks. Currently, the trailer is parked and I've found warm winter accommodations just outside the North Gate to Yellowstone, where I plan to stay until May 2013.

I travel alone, though I have four grandchildren and two sons who live in Idaho. You can view my work at Deby Dixon Photography. You also can get to know Deby visiting her Facebook page.

During a long career with the National Park Service, Ms. Anzelmo served stints as chief of public affairs for Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks, was the communications chief for the entire National Park Service out of its Washington, D.C., office, and finally was superintendent of Colorado National Monument.

Following the leadership she showed during the 1988 Yellowstone fires, Ms. Anzelmo became a nationally acknowledged expert in crisis communications and subsequently was dispatched to some of the country’s most complex wild land fire situations and other national emergencies.

In May 2010 she was assigned to the Unified Area Command for the National Park Service in response to the BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Ms. Anzelmo is the recipient of numerous awards including two of the Department of the Interior’s highest honors, the Superior Service and Meritorious Service awards, and has been honored in Congressional Record and White House commendatory documents.

In recognition for the backbone she displayed in declining to approve a professional bike race through Colorado National Monument, the National Parks Conservation Association awarded Ms. Anzelmo the Stephen T. Mather Award for her commitment to preserving the integrity and open access of the park for all visitors.